1. Field of the Invention
The subject matter described herein relates generally to devices and methods for access to audio tracks provided at themed entertainment parks.
2. Related Art
Theme parks are an integral part of global tourism. On any given day, a theme park, in any location, may welcome a large number of international visitors that may not be fluent in the language of the host country where the park is located. Also, the park may also have guests, both foreign and domestic, who are hearing impaired. All of these guests are, unfortunately, unable to understand the audio provided and therefore unable to experience the attractions to the full extent that they were designed and intended to be experienced.
The intended experience of theme parks, such as Universal Studios Islands of Adventure, includes a real-time combination of audio and action. To achieve this experience, numerous entertainment attractions have computer controlled audio files arranged to coincide in real time with the entertainment action. For example, the Cat in the Hat attraction provides audio tracks synchronized with the ride so that visitors experience, from audio and the action, the story of the Cat in the Hat. Accordingly, it is evident that the audio tracks play a crucial role on delivering the full experience required to fully enjoy the attraction.
Currently, most guest accessed communication systems at theme parks provide only self-paced audio tours from a pre-programmed database that is contained on a park owned and maintained “rental unit”. These systems do not interact with the ride control systems of the theme park and thus do not provide an adequate substitute for the intended attraction experience as experienced by guests using the primary audio program that is broadcast by loudspeaker in the attraction. In some cases there are guest accessed communication devices that do interact with simple sensor driven events, but these rudimentary systems are not integrated into the master ride and show system, instead they are simply playing back a self contained pre-recorded track at an approximate physical location on the “rental unit”. Generally, current guest accessed communication devices are single purpose devices that solely provide an alternate language or hearing impaired output. Typically these devices are expensive to produce, unwieldy, and must be rented from the park's operator at risk of financial expense and upkeep with frequent loss, damage and pilferage.
Accordingly, to date, no suitable device or method exists for providing a fully coordinated audio and timed electronic interpretive experience to those who speak a language that is different from that of the host country in which the business is located, or for those who are hearing impaired.